


Puzzles

by Birdschach



Category: Baccano!
Genre: Drabble, F/M, Fluff, general warning for them being themselves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-04
Updated: 2016-09-04
Packaged: 2018-08-13 01:29:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7956862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Birdschach/pseuds/Birdschach
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ladd watches as Lua solves one of her puzzles, and Lua reaches a surprising realization</p>
            </blockquote>





	Puzzles

**Author's Note:**

  * For [WattStalf](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WattStalf/gifts).



Ladd watched, utterly enraptured as Lua placed piece after piece, solving her blank puzzle methodically. He always marveled at how easy it was, hardly able to keep still as his beautiful fiancee worked. But not even his near-constant motion could distract Lua when she was this focused.

At least, not directly. Ladd himself wasn't a distraction, but upon letting her mind wander, she found her focus slipping. It had all started with a simple thought; perhaps Ladd could find a puzzle to occupy his time. Then, as she placed the piece she was holding, it hit her. Maybe he already had.

After all, puzzles came broken, disassembled. Without someone putting them together, they were useless. Without someone to rebuild them, they would always be broken. She couldn't help but think back to how empty she was before Ladd. Really, was she not unlike a blank puzzle? And if that were the case, all that Ladd did to make her fall in love with him, was that not him putting her back together?

She continued working, albeit somewhat slower as she continued her thoughts. Of course, Ladd noticed the change in speed almost immediately.

"What's the matter, doll? Am I distracting you too much? Because if I am, I can try to be more still. Hell, I could even go somewhere else, but I don't really want to do that," Ladd said, rambling loudly.

"It's not you," Lua said, simply, as she placed one of the final pieces.

"Oh, yeah? Then who is it? I swear, I'll kill them for distracting you. Some people just have no class, bothering a lovely lady like you, Lua."

"But I'm the one distracting me. So does that mean you'll kill me?" Lua teased, turning to look at Ladd.

"Wha- I... Lua, come on, you know it's not time yet. I've got a whole lot of people to kill before it's your turn. You want it to be perfect, right? Don't you?"

"Of course, I'm only teasing," Lua said, as she lifted and placed the final piece. She reached for her paints, and her train of thought continued.

If Ladd had put her back together, just like one of her puzzles, then all of his efforts now must be like her painting. Her puzzles had to be perfect before Lua would be satisfied, so of course Ladd would have to give her a perfect life before he...

Suddenly, it all clicked. Lua was Ladd's puzzle. When Lua finished a puzzle, she smashed it, scattering it into all of its pieces. For some reason, it always made her laugh, seeing all that work broken and scattered. But what else was Ladd planning but to shatter her? To take her life would be the same as when she smashed a puzzle, and Lua couldn't help but wonder what would happen after. Would Ladd laugh, seeing her life draining from her eyes? Would he cry as he stood over her broken pieces? It was almost a shame that Lua would never know.

**Author's Note:**

> I kind of made a connection between how Ladd treats Lua, and how she solves, paints, and breaks her puzzles, and finally wrote it. I hope you enjoy!


End file.
